How
do you make a wish referral?
The first step in the wish-granting process is to complete a Wish Referral
Form. This takes about 10 minutes and can be done over the telephone.
Simply call our office at (504) 846-9474 or toll free (888) 677-9474
and say you want to refer a child.
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What
children are eligible?
Children who have been diagnosed by their physician as having an illness
that is life-threatening, and who are between 2 1/2 and 18 years of
age, are eligible for a wish. More detailed guidelines on eligibility
are provided to medical professionals on request. The Make-A-Wish Foundation®
grants wishes regardless of race, religion, or socioeconomic status.
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Is
a child who has already received a wish from another wish-granting organization
eligible to receive a wish from Make-A-Wish?
No, a child who has
received a wish from another organization is not eligible for a wish
from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
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Does
the family's financial status matter?
No, economic background
does not affect whether a child is eligible for a wish.
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Won't accepting
a wish mean we've given up hope for our child's recovery?
We have frequently been described in the media or by word of mouth as
granting wishes for children with "terminal" illnesses. It
is much more correct to say that we grant wishes to children with "life-threatening
medical conditions." Many people believe (incorrectly) that we
grant wishes only to children who are dying, when in fact, we see the
process of making a wish as life-affirming and full of hope. Families
tell us that a wish can encourage a child to fight for a future, often
against tremendous odds, when courage and hope are flagging. Our wish
children who are now adults would attest to this!
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Are
some families reluctant to accept a wish because it feels like taking
charity?
There are several reasons why a family might hesitate to call us. A
family might feel, for example, that they could grant a wish for their
child themselves. We have found, however, that a family simply does
not plan a fantasy vacation or event when challenged by a life-threatening
illness with its intense and disruptive treatment schedules
and extreme stresses. Parents
cannot find the psychological resources to carry out the complex plans
when day-to-day life requires so much from them.
A family need not be in poverty or on welfare to qualify for the Make-A-Wish
Foundation services. It is the medical condition of their child that
qualifies the child, and the child's need to experience renewed hope,
strength, and joy. We seek to bring magic to a child's life at a time
when the emotional stress of a serious illness is taking its toll. Wishes
are magical things. When a child's wish is fulfilled, it says, "it's
good to dream, it's good to hope."
Make-A-Wish children
often talk about their wishes and encourage newly diagnosed peers to
think about what they might wish for. The wish-talk itself is positive
and optimistic. Even parents who initially resisted calling the Make-A-Wish
Foundation later decide to let their own child be a part of this magical
process.
Finally, even though
it may seem that the wish family is the recipient of the gift of a wish,
we find that volunteers, community members, and corporate donors are
often very touched when they Share the Power of a Wish®. And
so a child, through his wish, often gives to others much more than he
receives himself.
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We
can afford to pay for a wish ourselves. If we accept this wish, will
this be unfair to other, less fortunate, families?
All medically qualified children are elgibile for a wish, regardless
of family income. Even if a family can afford to fund the wish themselves,
we seek to bring elements of surprise, magic, and fun to the wish experience
that many families could not achieve because of the daily stresses and
emotional trauma of having a seriously ill child. We take pride in fulfilling
a wish for every eligible Louisiana child, regardless of race, creed,
or economic status.
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